ACCORDING to global news agencies, Qasem Soleimani, the commander of the Quds Force of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC); Abu Mahdi al-Mohandis (head of Kataib Hezbollah) and the second-in-command of Iraq’s Popular Mobilisation Forces; as well as a number of Iranian, Iraqi and Lebanese nationals in the same convoy, were killed in an air strike near to Baghdad airport. 

The assassination of Soleimani, on the order of US President Donald Trump, in clear violation of Iraqi national sovereignty and all international law, could undoubtedly pose deadly risks for the region.

Ali Khamenei, the supreme leader of the regime in Iran, issued a message in wake of the incident, which announced three days of public mourning in the country and read: “A harsh revenge awaits the criminals whose dirty hands are tainted with his [Soleimani’s] blood and the blood of other martyrs of last night’s incident.”

Iraqi Prime Minister Adel Abdul Mahdi condemned the assassinations of Soleimani and Mohandis, and in his statement declared the air strike on Baghdad airport as a “hostile action” and violation of the territorial integrity of that country, which could lead to a war in Iraq, the region, and the world. 

The IRGC also warned in a statement that the killing of Soleimani in the US’s attack would “contrary to its intentions and objective” open up new fronts against the United States and Israel in the region and [across] the world.”

In recent months, the Tudeh Party of Iran has continuously and frequently warned about the risk of the adventurist policies of US imperialism and its allies, including the reactionary government of Saudi Arabia and the racist Israeli government — as well as the imprudent and interventionist policies of the Iranian regime in the region, including in Iraq and Lebanon which in recent months have witnessed widespread popular protests against foreign interference and in particular the interference of the Iranian regime.

The Tudeh Party of Iran, while denouncing this act of terrorism by the Trump administration, which is an indication of the Trump administration’s flagrant disrespect of international law, believes all efforts must be taken in order to prevent the escalation of the crisis in the region and the driving of tensions towards dangerous military conflicts.

It is also necessary to point out that war and military conflicts in the region will only benefit the most reactionary and anti-people forces in the region and across the world and will be against the interests of the nation and working people. 

The action of the Trump administration takes place when he is on the verge of an impeachment trial in the US Senate for his abuse of power and Americans have entered an election year. 

In Iran, our people, who are well aware what catastrophes war has brought on our homeland in the past, have always been concerned at the prospect of another war. 

The development of a national emergency and wartime situation in Iran, at the point that the growing people’s movement in recent months has brought about a serious challenge to the theocratic regime, will be used as an excuse to intensify the atmosphere of repression and terror in Iran. 

An emergency situation in the country will lead to stricter and tougher conditions for any expression of opinion as well as tougher consequences for such expression. 

In contrast to the outlook of forces such as the monarchists and the People’s Mujahedin of Iran, who act as agents of the Trump administration and demand US military intervention against our homeland, our party recognises that the intensification of military conflicts will certainly harm the people of Iran and Iraq more than anyone else — the very people who have been the main victims of the policies of the reactionary forces and of US imperialism for years.

The Tudeh Party of Iran calls upon all of the progressive, freedom-loving and peace-loving forces of Iran, the region and across the world, to further their efforts to mobilise world public opinion against the escalation of tensions and the dangerous and lethal military conflicts in the region. 

The reactionary and anti-people leaders of the ruling regime in Iran and the US government should not be permitted to once again drive the Middle East region into fire and blood with another disastrous war. 

The struggle to preserve peace and stop the warmongering forces in the Middle East region in order to defend the interests of the Iranian working people and nation is of utmost importance.